Amity Primary Center to be leased as alternative school

The outside of the Amity Primary Center in the Daniel Boone School District. The school board has approved leasing the building to River Rock Academy for use as an alternative school. (Mercury file photo, David Barr)

BIRDSBORO — Despite objections by a neighbor, the Daniel Boone Area School Board approved a five-year lease for the Amity Primary Center as a privately-owned alternative school for children with social issues.

The vote to sign the lease with River Rock Academy & Day Treatment Center of Hellam, York County, was approved by a 6-1 vote at Monday school board meeting.

Board member Connor Kurtz opposed the motion, agreeing with concerns raised by a resident whose home is adjacent to the primary center and also shares a driveway with the school.

“I want to know how far this vote is,” said Bridget Scogna of Weavertown Road, adding that her family moved to the Douglassville area from Montgomery County “to be safe.”

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She asked the board for details about River Rock Academy.

Superintendent Gary L. Otto said the alternative education school is not for adjudicated children but for students who have difficulty in school or social adjustment issues.

River Rock Academy would move into Amity Primary Center effective Jan. 1, 2014. The school would begin operating in August 2014.

Otto invited Scogna to meet with River Rock Academy administrators in January and said he could share future information with her.

“We have asked about security, the types of students, and we have all been to visit (River Rock Academy) locations in other school districts, and most of them are in former school buildings. There is security personnel in the buildings, but as role models. The students don’t loiter around the schools, and they don’t handle adjudicated delinquents.”

River Rock Academy serves students from Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York County school districts.

The lease agreement is for 28,000 square feet, payment of 41 percent of the building’s annual utility costs ($38,000 to $40,000), as well as three free tuitions for Daniel Boone School District students, plus one additional free tuition for every eight students.

It also includes free 2013-14 tuition for two of the district’s seven students who are currently transported to the River Rock Academy Sinking Spring site, for a savings of $200,000.

“River Rock Academy will be a separate school and must abide by all the school laws,” said Otto. “It is not a lock-down type of school. The students have academic or social adjustment concerns, and they hope to move them back into the public school system. They do screenings and if (the students are) beyond their abilities from a mental standpoint, they don’t take them.”

“This is a good alternative school,” said Otto. “This is a good school for kids.”

School board President Andrew Basile and Otto said the estimated cost avoidance would range from $168,000 with three free tuitions, to a maximum of $220,000 with five free tuitions.

Basile said the district would continue to market the building for lease or sale and would be prepared to utilize the lease’s six-month early termination clause.

“You spent $9 million (in renovations) on a building we don’t need and you’re getting $160,000 to $200,000 each year in savings,” ” said Rich Martino of Douglassville.

“This is a very significant financial move for the school district, and it comes without any hesitation, that the administration recommends this,” Otto said, adding that they will continue to rent more space, but for now it is a very good deal.

In other news, the board unanimously approved the formation of a girls lacrosse team at the Amity Athletic Club, Birdsboro.

High School Principal Thomas Hankel said there would be no cost to the school district.

“There are 20 to 30 girls who meet Saturday morning,” said Hankel, “and lacrosse is very big to the east and south of us and is growing in the west. Many schools across the county have a team. No cost to the district.”

The team would have a limited schedule next spring and a full schedule the spring of 2015.

Discussions will continue at the board’s Nov. 13 policy committee meeting regarding the implementation of a sports booster policy for its fundraising money. Otto said a draft policy was sent to all sports booster groups.

“The kids are fundraising and don’t know where the money is going,” said Basile. “We’re trying to decide who will account for and control the funds. Who will manage? A policy would provide some clarity, transparency.”

Board members Robert McLaughlin and Scott Potts were absent from the meeting.